Pam Priestley was presented with the GRV Welfare Award at the 2017/18 Victorian Greyhound Awards at Crown Palladium.
Based in Kilmore, Pam has fostered more than 30 former racing greyhounds for the Greyhound Adoption Program (GAP) over the past seven years.
Fostering for GAP is a voluntary role that is critical to the success of the program, and Pam is one of around 100 GAP foster carers based around Victoria.
Upon entry into GAP, greyhounds undergo foster care for a period of around three weeks, and it is during this time that many greyhounds go from living in a racing kennel to living in a home environment for the first time.
Foster carers help socialise greyhounds and gradually introduce them to everyday experiences such as walking up and down stairs, walking on slippery floors and getting them used to traffic and typical household appliances such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners.
Pam said fostering was extremely rewarding.
“I’m besotted by greyhounds. I’ve got two pet greyhounds at home and I think I’ve fostered 31 of them so far. I have them for a period of three weeks at a time and it’s so nice to know I’m helping get them into a home,” Pam said.
“People ask me how I do it but they are so adaptable. I do get attached to them and it’s hard to let them go, but I think of it as a service.”
Pam also regularly volunteers her time at GAP’s adoption days and at community events where GAP is represented to help spread the word to the broader community about greyhounds as pets.
First introduced in 2016, the GRV Welfare Award recognises a person’s outstanding contribution to the welfare of greyhounds, as adjudged by the GRV Board.
For a comprehensive wrap of all the award winners please click here.
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